Kitchen remodels can be challenging and costly, but creating one with energy-efficient and eco-friendly choices made the process even more complicated for Larry and Louise Fitch.
During their initial calls to builders and remodeling companies, interest in the project cooled when the Fitches shared how they wanted to renovate and update their Johns Creek kitchen.
“They kind of pooh-poohed the whole green idea,” Larry said.
The reaction didn’t dissuade the Fitches, who turned to the aptly named Green Basements and Remodeling (the owner is Laura Green), based in Roswell, for an energy-efficient kitchen update in their 3,700-square-foot Johns Creek home, which was built in 1996.
How they did it
The couple had three main goals for the kitchen remodel: improve ergonomic layout (for practical use and future resale); maximize use of green materials and technology; and maintain a balance between price and quality. The couple looked to make smart choices with their upgrades, since they might be downsizing in five to six years.
“I wanted to go ahead and do it so I could enjoy it,” Louise said.
They had to make tough decisions based on their budget, which began at $20,000 and crept up to about $27,000 during the six-week project that was completed in early 2013. A major step included donating old appliances to The Salvation Army and old cabinets to Habitat for Humanity and recycling other items removed from the kitchen. A Dumpster was not needed, which enabled them to eliminate the $500 fee, Larry said.
Even trying to recycle the appliances and cabinets was time-consuming. The couple had to learn which organizations would accept which items, depending on the appliances’ condition and age. The pickups also had to be coordinated, and the contractors had to be notified to salvage the cabinets.
What they sacrificed
The Fitches set out to install local, custom-built cabinets made of sustainable wood. Most were too expensive, so they chose prefabricated cabinets since they were only 25 percent of the cost of custom-made cabinets. Using sustainable wood for custom cabinets would have been even more expensive, Larry said.
Recycled glass or Silestone countertops also were on their “want” list. Instead, for one-third the cost of recycled glass and half the cost of Silestone, they chose granite from South America. In fact, Larry said he noticed that granite is cheaper now that green technology and materials appear to be driving down the prices of older, established technology and materials. They decided to focus more on being “green” with energy-efficient appliances, rather than the countertops.
What they added
The Fitches noticed their old kitchen wasn’t energy efficient at mealtime. For example, the down-draft vent would suck the heat from the flame of their gas cooktop, they said.
New Bosch appliances were selected based on their Energy Star rating (a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program), consumer performance rating and price/rebate. The couple also liked that Bosch, a German company, manufactured its appliances in North Carolina. The five-burner Bosch cooktop is more efficient, and the dishwasher is much quieter, which doesn’t cause distractions in the adjacent family room. Low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint was selected for the walls, and the faucet , purchased at the Home Depot, had a low-flow feature.
The home already had solar panels and Pella thermal insulating glass for the doors and windows, and the couple had tripled the attic insulation prior to the remodeling. The combined effort results in an average $185 monthly electric and gas bill, which the Fitches say is closer to $300 for their neighbors.
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